'Call of Duty' Features Itaewon Crowd Crush Footage, Prompting Backlash and Demands for Apology

The first-person shooter (FPS) game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4," which centers on a fictional North Korean invasion of South Korea, has sparked strong backlash from bereaved families, civic groups, and gamer associations for incorporating footage from the Itaewon crowd crush.

According to the gaming industry on October 28, the cinematic video in "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4," released worldwide by U.S. game developer Activision on October 23, includes about three seconds of broadcast file footage showing emergency responders performing CPR on fallen citizens in the immediate aftermath of the Itaewon disaster.

The scene was used to depict civilian casualties resulting from an outbreak of war within the game.

As this became known, reactions poured in on social media criticizing it as inappropriate to use the Itaewon disaster, which claimed numerous lives, as material for a game video.

Bereaved families and civic groups, with the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon disaster approaching, also raised their voices in protest.

Cho, In-young, co-head of the Joint Action for the October 29 Itaewon Disaster, criticized, "This happened because they were extremely insensitive to the pain felt by the bereaved families, victims, and citizens upon seeing the actual disaster site, and failed to consider the dignity of the victims."

She added, "Foreign bereaved families are currently visiting South Korea to attend memorial events, and we plan to officially raise the issue by gathering signatures from the bereaved families."

The Korean Game Users Association also issued a statement, urging, "There must be a clear explanation of the circumstances and an apology regarding the fact that footage of a tragic disaster unrelated to the context of the game was utilized and caused harm to the bereaved families and others." They added, "We hope they will respond responsibly, such as by proceeding with an update to replace the footage."

At the same time, the association added, "This controversy must not be expanded into demands for censorship or unjustified restrictions on the content of the game itself."

Activision stated, "Some real news report footage included in the opening cinematic of the game was utilized as an element to convey the fictional narrative within the work."

The company added, "There was absolutely no intention to reference or treat any real tragic events, including the Itaewon disaster, lightly."

(Photo: Game screen capture, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.